History

The poems were edited by J.R.R. Tolkien. Despite some claims to the contrary,[1]Christopher Wiseman was not involved in editing. He later told John D. Rateliff he was credited alongside Tolkien at the latter's request, since they were the only two surviving members of the "Great Four".[2]

Several fragments of the poems were reproduced in John Garth's Tolkien and the Great War, who notes that while this collection predated the flurry of soldier's poetry - much of it published by Erskine - it had the same disenchantment and desillusion as most others.[3]